Tracker mechanism for player-pianos.



J.. R. DE NOYELLES. TRACKER MECHANISM FOR PLAYER muos APPLICATION FILED IIAR. 2. 1916.

1 ,21 5,005, Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

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$% vuosow R- DENQYELLEE J. R. DE NOYELLES.

TRACKER MECHANISM FOR PLAYER PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, 1916.

1,215,005. Patented Feb. 6,1917.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JUDSON ROGERS DE NOYELLES, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

TRACKER MECHANISM FOR JPLAYER-PIANGS.

Application filed March 2, 1916.

'1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jonson R. Dn Nor minus, a citizen of the l lnited States residing at Detroit, in the county of lVayne and State of h lichig'an, have irwentcd certain new and useful Improvements in 'lraclicr Mechanism for l. layer-lianos, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to player pianos and particularly to the tracker mechanism therefor.

The general object of my invention is the provision of every simple tracker mechanism which will operate to positively shift the upper spool simporting the note sheet roll either in a direction toward the right or toward the left to compensate for any irregular unwinding of the note sheet from the supporting roll.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of this kind wherein the parts are so formed that they will not bind and still. another object is to provide a mechanism of the character described which is particularly applicable to what are known as foot players.

Other objects will appear in the courseof the following description.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinl igure I a front elevation partly in section, of the wind chest, roll supporting and roll shifting mechanism of a player piano showing my improvements applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section through the end of one of the rolls through the adjacent supporting frame, and showing the head 14 in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section through the members 2-6 and 28 to show the hinged connection of these members;

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of the lower portion of one of the bellows and of the hinge connecting it to the tracker rod, the tracker rod being shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a, vertical section through the tracker bar, the section being taken so as to intersect the bleed-openings 1S and 19;

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section of one of the valve boxes, showing the valves in elevation; and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

Serial No. 81,581.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the valves operate.

l teferring to these drawings, 10 designates the vacuum chest or wind. chest of a player piano of the ordinary type and 11 designates the frame supporting the ake-up spool. 12 and the roll spindles 13 and 14: which support the music roll These shaft sections or spindles 13 and 1.4: have transverse movement with relation to the frames 13 in the usual manner so that the music roll may be shifted either to the left or to the right. The note sheet 16 passes over the usual tracker bar 17 which is provided at its opposite ends with the primaryports or ducts 1S and 18 and the secondary ports 19 and 19 The primary ports 18 and 18 are disposed below the ports 19 and 19 and inward of these ports, and the distance between the ports 19 and'19 and therefore of course the distance between the ports 18 and 1S is somewhat less than the width of the note sheet 16 so that all of the ports are normally closed when the note sheet is tracking properly. As will be seen from Fig. 1, the secondary ports or openings 19 and 19 are disposed on a higher level than the ports 18 and 18 and are always covered by the note sheet except when the note sheet shifts to one side when air may pass through these ports thus. causing the operation of the valves will be later stated. Thus so long as the note sheet is traveling properly it will cover the primary ports 18 and 18, but should the note sheet move far enough to the left it will uncover the primary port 18" and of course a suilicient shifting of the note sheet to the right will uncover the port 18. The valve mechanism to which the ports 18, 18 and 19, 19 are connected will be later stated.

For the purpose of shifting the spindles 13 and 14 to the right or to the left, as the case may be, I provide a tracker rod 20 which eXtends across the top of the frame 11 and has one end downwardly bent as at 21. The lower end of this downwardly bent portion 21. is formed with a socket 22 within which is engaged the spherical end 2?) of the spindle 13, the connection between the spindle 13 and the enlarged lower end of the downward extension 21 of the tracker bar forming a ball and socket joint. At its op posite end the tracker rod is downwardly bent as at 25, and mounted thereon is a block 26 which might be made of wood, fiber or any other suitable material of like nature. this being formed with a socket 2'? extending parallel to the tracker rod 20. Pivoted to this block 26 is a block 28 which is also formed of wood or composition and which has an upwardly extending ton -lie 1 which extends into the socket or recess 4' and is pivoted to the block 26 by means of a pivot pin 30. A stop 31 is attached to the block 26 and extends down opposite the inner end of the block :28 and on the opposite side of the block 26 there is attached a spring which bears against the adjacent face of the block 28 and urges said block against the stop but yields to permit the block 28 to shift away from the stop 31. The block 28 carries a downwardly extending arm which at its lower end is formed with a socket 3% adapted to operatively engage with the spherical extremity of the spindle 14.

Supported upon the frame 11 is a block 36 formed with a transversely extending opening 37 or passage throir which the tracker rod 20 loosely passes, and mounted upon this block are the oppositely disposed bellows or pneumatics 38 and 38*. The free sides of the bellows are each connected to the tracker rod 20 each by meansof a clan'n 'iing hinge comprising a hinge member 39 attached to the lower margin of the free side of the bellows and a hinge member 4L0 which is recessed to engage with a tongue projecting from the hinge member 39 and which is pivoted thereto by a pivot 4 1. These hinge members are made of hard fiber or like material, and members 39 are each provided with the opening 4:2 through which the tracker rod passes, and a set screw 43 holds the hinge member in engagement with the tracker rod but permits the tracker rod to be adjusted through the hinge member. As will be seen from Fig. 1. there are two of these hinges composed of the members 39 and for each pair of bellows. Now it will beobvious that if the bellows 3S collapses and the bellows 3C is distended, the tracker rod will be shifted to the left while it will be shifted to the right if the bellows 38 is contracted and the bellows 38 distended.

Mounted upon the upper cross bar of the frame 11 are the tracker rod guides at and 45, the guide 44 extending outward and be ing slitted for engagement with the downwardly extending portion 21 of the tracker rod while the guide to extends upward and is attached to the opposite end of the frame 1.1 and is slit for the passage of the adjacent portion of the tracker rod. Preferably, the tracker rod is formed in three sections, as illustrated in section in Fig. 1, these sections being adjustable toward or from each other and the ends of the sections entering the sleeves 73. Set screws 74: engage the sections of the tracker rod and hold them in adjusted relation.

The bellows 38 and 38 are connected each to the tracker red by the fiber hinges 3O l0, the hinges allowing the rod to move more freely and to be less likely to bind than if the bellows were otherwise connected thereto. The hinge section t0 will always remain in a vertical position, or at right angles to the tracker rod 20 and inasmuch as the tongue of the hinge member 39 is slotted for the passage of the pin -1 it will be obvious that sufficient play in be permitted to allow the proper movement of the bellows without cramping or binding the hinge members upon each other or upon the rod 20.

The parts 26. 28. 31 and 3c are for the purpose of permitting the spindle l t to be shifted laterally to the left for the insertion of the music roll between the spindles. The spring 32, however, forces the member 98 normally against the stop 31 as soon as the music roll has been inserted so as to keep the roll in its proper position for tracking. Inasmuch as the spindles 13 and 1% are engaged with the extremities of the tracker rod 20 by ball and socket joints, it is obvious that there will be no binding action. The block which supports the bellows 3F and 38 is formed with two separate ducts 4-6 and t7, the duct L6 being connected to the bellows 38 while the duct 47 is connected to the bellows 38. These ducts in turn are connected to tubes 48 and +l-9 which extend to the valve boxes 50 and 50% respectively. These valve boxes are alike, and within the valve boxes are disposed slow working valves which control the bellows 88 and 38 Each of the valve boxes contains a primary and a secondary valve, and each valve box is connected to one of the primary ducts and the c rrespon(ling secondary ducts.

Each valve box. as shown in Fig. 6, is formed to provide a primary chamber 51 and a valve chamber 52 within which is disposed a. primary valve 53. This primary valve has a stem 5+ which extends down through a relatively large opening connecting the primar chamber with the valve chamber, and in its "turn is operatively engaged by a diaphragm 55 which separates the chamber 51 from a chamber 56, this chamber 56 in turn being connected by a duct 57 to the primary tube 58 or 58, as the case may be, leading to one of the primary ports 18 or 18 as the case may be. Between the duct 57 and the piinary chamber there is a small bleed-hole 59. Each valve casing 50 or 50 is also provided with a secondary chamber 60 connected by a relatively large opening to a secondary valve chamber 62 within which is located a secondary valve 63. From the top of the valve chamber 62 extends a vent pipe 6 1. The valve 63 has a stem 65 which extends down through the chamber 60 and at its lower end is operatively connected. to a diaphragm 66 which separates the secondary chamber 60 from a chamber 67 connected by a duct 68 to a tube 69 or 69, as the case may be, which leads to one of the secondary bleed-openings or ducts 19 or 19, as the case may be. Each chamber 52 is connected to chamber 60 by a passage 61.

The chamber 60 is connected to the duct 68 by of a relatively small bleedopening 76. The chamber 51 of each valve casing is connected by a pipe 71 to the vacuum chamber or wind chest 10 so that the chamber 51 is normally exhausted. The sec ondary chamber 60 is connected by means of a duct or pipe 18 or 19 to the corresponding bellows 38 or 38*, the valve chamber 60 being connected to the bellows 38 by pipe 19 and duct 17, the valve chamber 60 being connected to the bellows 38 through the ducts 19 and 47, respectively.

The operation of this invention is as fol. lows: l't is to be understood that the pri mary chambers 51 of both of the valves are connected to the wind chest 10 from which the air has been exhausted by the usual pedal-operated bellows. When the music sheet 16 is tracking properly, the primary ducts 18 and 18 are closed. As before remarked, the chambers 51 of both valves are normally exhausted, are the chambers 56 of both valves. Therefore, both of the valves are down on their seats. The chambers 60 and 67 of both of the valves are normally filled with air as are the bellows 38 and 38 Now, we will assume that the note sheet shifts from its normal position toward the right in Fig. 1, thus inclosing the ports 18 and 19. Then, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 7, the air will rush in through the opening 18 to the chamber 56 of the corre sponding valve casing. This will cause the valve 53 to lift, opening comi'nunication between the chambers 51 and 60 which is of course in communication with the bellows 38. Air is thus exhausted from the chamber 60 and from the bellows 38 and the bel lows 38 collapses. The bellows 38 has the same air pressure inside as outside and therefore moves freely.

The deflation of the bellows 38 causes the roll to move to the left and the music sheet again closes duct 58, and the valve 53 drops, cutting off communication between the chamber 51 and the chamber 60. Now, when the valve 53 rose under the action of air entering through the port 1.8, it exhausted the air from the chamber and unbalanced the valve 63 so that the pressure behind the diaphragm 66 causes this valve 63 to slowly rise and close against the air vent 64. As the valve 63 rises, and while the valve is in its intermediate position, air will pass downward through the opening 64 into the chamber 60, but this amount of air will be relatively slight in comparison with the amount being exhausted through the passage 61 so that the exhaustion will take place faster than air can be supplied to the chamber 60. The opening of communication between the port 64 and the chamber 60 will cause the valve 63 to rise very slowly. Eventually the valve 63 will close against the port 64; and then the chamber 60 will be exhausted entirely. When the music sheet is shifted again to the left by the action of the bellows 38, the music sheet will close the ports 18 and 19. The music sheet will first close the port 18, thus cutting off communi cation between the chamber 56. The air in the chamber 56 will be exhausted through the bleed-hole 59, and pressure being equalized, valve will drop, cutting off C0111I111l-- nication between the chamber 51 and chamber 60. The pressure in chamber 60 will then become equalized with the pressure in the chamber 67 and the valve 63 will drop, allowing air to pass into the chamber 60 through the port 61 and to pass into the bellows. lVhen the secondary valve closes it closes very slowly as the air is dead. This is particularly essential because if the shifting bellows 38 or 38 worked quickly it would not give the music sheet a chance to shift and would tear the sheet.

The advantages of my invention are as 1 follows: The mechanism is very simple and at the same time a positive shifting of the music roll 15 is secured in both directions and not merely in one direction as is often done. moves parallel to the roll supporting spindles 13 and 14C and parallel to the roll, and therefore there will be no binding. Any himling of the spindles 13 and 14, however. is further prevented by the ball and socket joint between the spindle 13 and the end of the arm 21 and between the spindle 14. and the socket carried upon the arm 25 of the tracker rod. At the same time the construction illustrated permits the roll to be easily inserted into engagement with the spindles 13 and 14 and as readily removed. It will be obvious that the tracking mechanism described operates positively to shift the roll either to the right or to the left and that the operation is very free. Furthermore, it will be obvious that the mechanism can be readily applied to player pianos as at present constructed without any alteration in the usual mechanism thereof other than as above described. Slow operating valves are particularly necessary, as above pointed out, in order to prevent the note sheet from being torn while being shifted back to its normal position.

Furthermore, the tracker rod 20 7 lo the drawings the mechanism for driving the rolls, re-winding and the tempo mechanism has of course not been illustrated as it is well known and may be of any ordinary or usual type.

llaving described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a tracker mechanism for player pianos, the combination with oppositely disposed longitudinally movable roll supporting spindles, of a tracker rod movable parallel to the axes oi the spindles, one end of the tracker rod being extended downward to a point opposite one of said spindles and being there provided with a socket, the corresponding head being iiirmed with a ball rotatable in said socket, the other end of the tracker rod being downwardly extended and provided with a terminal member, a member hingedly connected to the terminal member for movement in the plane of movement oi? the corresponding head and tracker rod, said hinged member having a socket, the corresponding spindle being 'tormed with a ball engaging with the socket, said terminal member carrying a stop engaging with the hinged member to prevent its movement toward the oppositely disposed head, a spring mounted. upon the terminal member and engaging with the hinged member to yieldingly hold the hinged member from movement away from the stop, and means for shifting the tracker rod.

2. In a tracker mechanism for player pianos, a supporting frame, oppositely disposed alined music roll. supporting spindles rotatably mounted in the frame, and a tracker rod extending across the top of the frame and having downwardly extending ends having rotative engagement with the spindles, a pair of pneumatics mounted above the tracker rod, and having arms movable by the action oi the pneumatics, and members clamped upon the tracker rod and having pivotal. connection to said arms.

3. in a tracker mechanism for player pianos, a longitudinally movable rotatably supported roll supporting spindle, a tracker rod bent at one end to extend at right angles to the spindle, a member pivotally connected to the angularly bent end of the tracker rod for engagement with the extremity of the roll supporting spindle, a stop limiting the movement of the member in one direction, and a spring urging said member against the stop.

t. In a tracker mechanism for player pianos, a rotatably supported music roll supporting spindle longitudinally shiitable along its axis, and a tracker rod having at its extremity a socket, the adjacent extremity of the supporting spindle being provided with a ball fitting in said socket, and means for longitudinally shifting the tracker rod.

In a tracker mechanism for player pianos, a supporting frame, oppositely disposed alined roll supporting spindles rotatably mounted in the frame for longitudinal movou'ient, a tracker rod extending across the top of the frame and slidably supported thereon and having downwardly extending ends having rotative engagement with the spindles, the tracker rod and spindles having unitary longitudinal movement, the tracker rod being made in sections slidably engaged with each other for longitudinal adjustment, and means for longitudinally shitting the tracker rod. v

(S. In a tracker mechanism for player pianos, a supporting frame, oppositely disposed alined music roll supporting spindles rotatably mounted in the frame and having longitudinal movement therein, a tracker rod extending across the top of the frame and slidabl y supported thereon and having downwardly extending ends having rotative engagement with the spindles, the spindles and tracker rod having unitary longitudinal movement, said tracker rod being formed in three sections engaged with each other for relative longitudinal. movement and adjustment, pneumatics mounted above the tracker rod and engaged with the middle section thereof and means for longitudinally shifting the trarltcr rod.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JUDSON ROGERS DE NOYllliLES.

lVitnesses \V. W. GUNN, DELL PALMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

